The bill introduces an outside section in the FY24 General Appropriations Act that mandates state government entities collecting demographic data on race and ethnicity to do so at a standardized and more detailed level, as outlined in the Data Equity Law (M.G.L. c. 6A s. 109). The Executive Office for Administration & Finance (A&F) is tasked with establishing regulations and guidelines for this data collection, which includes a requirement for an annual report detailing the progress of data collection, including a list of waivers granted and their justifications. The regulations, issued on January 3, 2025, set forth standardized demographic groups, transparency, privacy measures, and a waiver process for compliance. As part of the implementation of the Data Equity Law, A&F has identified 38 programs across eight Secretariats that will comply by the September 30, 2026 deadline. The MyMassGov online system has been updated to allow constituents to select from more granular race and ethnicity options. A&F has also processed waiver requests from agencies unable to comply by the deadline due to reasons such as contradictory obligations under other laws, privacy concerns, or system constraints. A total of 73 waivers have been granted, with most due to contradictory laws or system constraints, and agencies are expected to work towards compliance within the specified timeframes.